The Marines Are Reissuing The 1911 Colt .45 Pistol Because The 9 mm Is Too Weak

Seven years ago, Marine Medal of Honor recipient Col. John J.
McGinty (ret.) came out to Iraq and talked to Marines about his
experiences in Vietnam as an infantry platoon commander.

I was a Marine combat correspondent at the time, it was the end
of my deployment, and I was downright tired. Nonetheless, when I
sat down with McGinty, I'd read his Medal of Honor citation about
25 times.

Rare was the opportunity to talk to a living MOH recipient.

My first question was about one line of his citation which had
particular weight with me:

"So your citation has a line that reads," looking down at my
notepad then, "quote — 'When the enemy tried to out flank his
position, he killed five of them at point-blank range with his
pistol.' — and I just have to ask, what's it like to kill five
guys at point-blank range with a pistol?"

McGinty chuckled then, as old men do when confronted by the zeal
of their younger counterparts, then he said the obvious, "Well,
hell, son, it was downright scary."

McGinty said the enemy fighters had rounded the corner of his
bunker and he turned to see them pointing their weapons at him,
dead to rights. They all fired high.

"That AK, it's got a nasty kick. And they don't control it well
if they're just holding down the trigger," McGinty said he drew
down with his 1911 and let loose.

"Let me tell you one thing, if it weren't for that Colt 1911, I'd
be dead right now."

McGinty told me it was his, and some other MOH recipients,
personal mission to see the reinstatement of the Colt 1911 as
general issue. Though they "had very little clout to throw
around, believe it or not."

Being qualified with the weapon, I have to say don't blame him,
most Marines I'd ever talked to hated the standard issue 9 mm
Beretta. It's a glorified pellet gun, as far as I'm concerned, it
has no balls, no stopping power. If you're shooting at a
motivated target, and you don't hit vitals, that target will just
keep coming.

McGinty got his wish,
Fox News reported that Marines have recently started to fill
orders for a new 1911 .45-caliber colt pistol.

The Marines are calling it the "M45 Close Quarters Battle
Pistol," and I'm sure the Marines carrying it will have a lot
more confidence in close quarters.